


lean on

by Vxnatori



Category: The Walking Dead (Telltale Video Game)
Genre: F/F, Violentine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-02
Updated: 2019-02-02
Packaged: 2019-10-21 01:06:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17633171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vxnatori/pseuds/Vxnatori
Summary: (Spoilers through episode 3!) Clementine couldn’t sleep, her mind was racing on the night before the on attack Lily and the raiders. She goes to take a walk to clear her head and bumps into some great company.





	lean on

**Author's Note:**

> This is literally the first thing I’ve written in years. Hope it doesn’t show too much.

Tonight was darker than usual. The sky was full of thick clouds that didn’t let a wisp of moonlight through. Clementine stared at the bars of the bed frame in the bunk above her, tracing the bars with her eyes like she normally would on sleepless nights like these. Tonight was different, though. Her mind was racing and her heart was heavy. She had friends that may be counting their own bars, or the links on their chains... or worse.   
  
She rolled on her side towards AJ. His silhouette laid deathly still, curled up with his back to her. She waited patiently for him to take a breath, like she always does. Clementine has spent many nights watching for his chest to rise and fall, just to be sure. And surely enough he took in another deep breath. He looked to be sleeping well tonight, better than he has the past few nights at least.

  
AJ was so tough, and so young. Too young to have to be so tough. It hurt her knowing that he may never know a world without ‘monsters’. But then again, neither did she, not very well at least. All she could remember were bits and pieces of her life with her parents and the love they gave her. She could remember some of the things she had learned in school, her last birthday party and the day her parents left her with the baby sitter for Savannah but not much else. Anything else she could recall was all during her time with Lee.   
  
She wasn’t sure if it would been harder for AJ back then than it is now. The dead seemed like they were everywhere when it all started. So many people died, so many people turned. There was so much gruesome death when this all began. Not that death isn’t any less gruesome, just more common, more normal. Life had more value back then and people still could depend on each other. Now there are more of the monsters than people.   
  
And not all the monsters are walkers.   
  
And this was the reality that AJ would have to accept; that you can’t trust anyone who hasn’t proven they could be trusted, to shoot first and ask questions later, that people are more dangerous than any walker could be. This world taught and AJ learned well. Eerily so. Especially the most important thing she could have ever taught him, that still rings in her mind in her darkest moments.

‘Always save the last bullet for yourself.’

Clementine took in a deep breath, held it for as long as she was able and slowly let it out. She swung her legs over the edge of her bed and stood, checking on AJ one last time before pulling her hat from the edge of her bunk and making her way towards the door. 

  
She turned the knob and pulled the door open to a set of dirty knuckles nearly knocking her on the nose. She flinched slightly, half a beat from reaching for her knife. “...Violet?”   
  
“Shit, sorry, I just.... uh, was just passing by.” Violet stammered as she took a step back. “Didn’t mean to scare you.”   
  
Clementine blinked as her hand dropped back to her side. “No, no it’s okay, I uh, had a bad dream. Just wanted to walk off the nerves.”   
  
“Yeah... me too, I guess.” Violets eyes shot back and forth between Clementine and the floor. She took another step back as Clem slipped out of the door, closing it quietly behind her. Violet rested her hand behind her neck. “You, um, want some company? I-I mean I get it if you wanted the time to yourself.”   
  
Clem smiled as she flopped her hat onto her head. “Sure, Vi.”   
  
“Good, cause I was just going out front and didn’t want to have to make the climb to the roof for my own alone time this late if I didn’t have to.” Violet sighed as she and Clementine rounded the corner down the hall.   
  
“I thought it was supposed to be an easy climb.” Clementine teased.   
  
“Easy enough to not feel like doing it if I don’t have to.” Violet scoffed. “Kinda like when your shoes come untied. You could tie them back right when it happens, but you never feel like it, you know?”   
  
“Hmm, I suppose you’re right.” Clementine shrugged.   
  
“Yeah, I usually am.” Violet smiled as she placed a hand on the staircase railing, dragging her hand along it as she and Clementine trotted down the steps.   
  
“ _Sometimes_ .” Clementine arched a brow at her.   
  
“Hey, I’ll take it, it’s better than never.” Violet shrugged as they walked towards the door. They both turned after approaching the music room. Violet stopped and stared, almost like she was waiting. Waiting to hear Louis singing or playing the piano. Clementine placed her hand on the door handle. Looking back at Violet, waiting for her to catch up.   
  
She gave her a moment, Clementine knew that time to mourn was important. As optimistic as she wanted to stay about the situation, she had no idea what they would find on that boat. She didn’t know if they would make it back off the boat, either. Violet would need this time. It might be the last opportunity she would get.   
  
“Fuck, I still can’t believe he’s gone.” Violet cursed.   
  
“We’ll get him back,” Clementine replied, the response felt almost automatic now. “And Omar and Aasim too.”   
  
“...Yeah.” Violet sighed, green eyes still focused down the hall. “Yeah, we will.”

Clementine could tell Violet was still trying to convince herself. She couldn’t fault her for that either. But she also wouldn’t allow her to drown in her own thoughts. Clementine took her hand off the door and reached for Violet’s hand. “Hey, come on. Let’s get out of here. Fresh air sounds like a damn good idea right about now.”

Violet turned away from the hall looking Clementine in her eyes. “Yeah, lets go.” She turned back once more before she was gently pulled away. Clementine held the door as she walked outside into the the courtyard, Violet close behind. They both took a seat on the front steps.

Clementine watched the clouds pass overhead, watching the faint glow of the moon fade in and out behind them. It would've been nice if there were some stars to distract her from the war zone in front of her. Their party did help for a nice distraction. It was a really nice time, while it lasted. She was certain it did lighten the mood for everyone.  It seemed to have taken some of the edge off, everyone seemed a bit more calm and maybe a little more focused. She would take the small victories.

“No stars out tonight, bummer.” Violet said, pulling a knee to her chest and crossing her arms around her leg.

“Yeah, it would’ve been nice, beautiful nights twice in a row.” Clementine sighed.

“Guess we can’t get lucky all the time.” Violet sighed.

“Sometimes you have to make your own luck.” Clementine replied with a smile. She planted her foot on the step beneath her and leaned back on her hands. “You sounded… beautiful tonight by the way. I, uh wasn’t sure if I got a chance to tell you.”

“Y’know, you don’t have to lie to me, Clementine.” Violet blushed trying to hide her face in her arms.

“I’m not!” Clementine laughed. “It’s been forever since I’ve heard anyone sing like that. It was really nice.”

Clem could see the trace of a smile in Violet's eyes. “...Thanks Clem,” Violet said softly,  just over a whisper.

“You’re welcome, Vi.” Clementine tilted her head back, looking into the sky. Clementine usually found peace in the calm before the storm. Even before a situation like this one. Usually there isn’t time. Usually everything goes straight to hell without warning. Time was something she would gladly take advantage of because there never seemed to be enough of it. There were so many people she wished she could have had more time with; Duck, Carley, Omid, Christa, Kenny, Jane, Luke, Javi…. Lee. So many people she cared for and nearly all of them dead, some of them because of her. She was too young, too helpless, too weak and they paid the price. But never again. No one else she cared about would die if she could stop it. Not any of the rest of these kids, not AJ, and certainly not-

“Hey.., you alright?” Violet reached a hand out to touch Clementine’s shoulder.

“Y-yeah, sorry. Got a bit lost in my own head there.” Clementine sighed.

“I can tell. You looked kinda angry, like you were ready to stab somebody.” Violet replied.

“Just… thinking, I’m fine.” Clementine gave a small smile.  

“It’s okay not to be, you know?” Violet replied.

Clementine chuckled. “You sound like me talking to AJ.”

“Then it’s no wonder why that kid is so smart.” Violet smiled.

 “He did learn from the best.” Clementine smirked.

 “I mean, I just met him like, two months ago but I’m glad he's learned so much from me so soon.” Violet smugly replied.

 Clementine’s eyes nearly rolled out of her head. “Guess I walked into that one.”

 “Like a rabbit in a trap.” Violet chuckled. A few moments of silence passed between them. Clementine had sat up to adjust her hat. “Do you... do you think we can save them?” Violet asked. “And don’t give me the morale boost answer, be honest with me. I mean, I know we’re new at this girlfriends thing but, I want.... I’d like it if you could be more honest with me.”  
  
Clementine turned to Violet, she looked like she had been waiting to ask for a while. Clementine let her eyes drift shut as she quietly took in a deep breath and slowly blew it out. “Honestly?” Violet nodded as she looked into her eyes, patiently waiting for her to continue. “I don’t know.” Clementine stared up into the cloud covered night sky.

  
“They killed Mitch. Nearly got Tenn. Who knows how long it’ll take Omar to be able to walk again after they shot him, and who knows what they’re even doing to him, Aasim and Louis.” Clementine sighed. She looked out over the yard at the arrows and bullet casings still littering the ground, the charred front gate and the piles of walkers. She shook her head and turned back to Violet, stretching a hand out over all the wreckage. “They came to us when we thought we were ready for them and look what they did. Now we have to go to them. We have a plan at least, a pretty damn good one, but it’s still gonna be really tough.”   
  
Violet nodded slowly and took a deep breath of her own. “Yeah,” she huffed. “And since we're being honest, Clem..., I’m scared. For them... and for us. I mean we saw what they did to Minnie, they’ve got her brainwashed.”   
  
“Yeah,” Clementine repeated. “I’m worried since I’m pretty sure they won’t be able to do that to the others. At least not so easily.”   
  
Violet paused then let a small smirk cross her lips. “Yeah, especially Louis. He’d probably annoy them all to death first anyway.”   
  
Clementine let out a small laugh. “Imagine finding them all on the boat dead from having to hear Louis talking all day and night.” Violet huffed out a chuckle. Clementine’s smile lingered as she looked blankly back up into the sky. “I’m scared, Vi. Terrified, actually.”   
  
Violet blinked, her smile slowly fading. “I know, or at least I think I could tell.” Her eyebrows raised after Clementine’s shoulders bounced, smile still resting on her face.   
  
“I guess I’m losing my edge, you’re not supposed to be able to tell.” Clementine chuckled, looking at Violet with a small smile.   
  
“You don’t have to do that with me, Clem.” Violet said, placing her hand over Clementine’s.  Violet paused, looking into Clem’s eyes. “I know that you want to be strong for the others, I know that you had to be strong for AJ. And I understand because they need you..., I... need you.” Violet paused, eyes darting everywhere but back at Clementine.   
  
Clementine moved her hand to lace her fingers between Violet’s, smiling as her eyes finally made their way back to her own. “Go on.” she said softly and smiled as a blush crept across Violet’s pale cheeks.   
  
“Well, I uh, was trying to say that, you need someone to be strong for you sometimes. Like your friend was. Lee, right?” Clementine’s eyes widened slightly, after a short pause she nodded. “...I um, I’m... sorry if I’m overstepping boundaries. I just.... Everyone needs a shoulder to lean on and all that cliche bullshit. And it seems like you haven’t had one for a long time and.... What I’m saying is... I’m here, Clem. If you need that.”   
  
Clementine nodded again and gently squeezed Violet’s hand. “Thank you, Vi.” Violet returned the squeeze and added a smile.   
  
“You’re welcome.” Violet said in the warmest voice Clementine has ever heard her say anything. “I also meant that literally, in case you were wondering.”   
  
“I must be pretty predictable, you read my mind.” Clementine sighed and she slid closer, resting her head on Violet’s shoulder. Violet dropped her hands behind her to hold up their weight, not that Clementine was very heavy, despite carrying a school of burden on her shoulders. Violet was warm which was welcoming on a chilly night like this. She felt comfortable, truly. She hadn’t felt this way since Lee was alive. Like she could finally depend on someone else. That maybe she could put her life in someone else’s hands. She was also glad that Violet couldn’t see her face, she could feel heat spread from ear to ear as she listened to Violet’s heart race nearly in pace with her own.

“I’ll admit, this is pretty nice.” Clementine said. 

“Yeah?” Violet replied.   
  
“Yeah, feels good knowing someone’s looking out for me for once. That someone actually has my back, you know?”   
  
“Yeah, I do.” Violet sighed. “Anything else on your mind?”   
  
“Nothing but tomorrow night.” Clementine said. “And...”   
  
“...And?” Violet repeated. Clementine was silent she wasn’t sure why she felt so nervous. Violet didn’t press so it gave her some time. ‘Just tell her how you’re feeling, Clem!’ she urged. She shifted to look Violet in her eyes only to find the she was already looking at her. Those green eyes took all her nerves away. They shared a glance for a few moments, waiting for the other to talk. Maybe for a bit too long….   


“Vi...?” Clementine lifted her head from Violet’s shoulder.   
  
“Uh huh?” Violet quickly answered, aware of her staring, cheeks turning more red by the second.   
  
Clementine couldn’t fight her smile. “I’m glad I came back.”

  
“Me too.” Violet replied. She hesitantly moved her arm around Clem, stopping as she placed her palm down on the step at her opposite side. Clementine’s smile widened a bit. She leaned in and pecked Violet’s cheek before resting her head back against Violet’s shoulder.  “Shit, you really know how to wow a girl, Clem.” Violet nudged her with her shoulder.   
  
Clementine let out a soft laugh. “Really? That’s a relief since I honestly have no idea what I’m doing.”   
  
“I’m impressed.” Violet hesitantly lifted her hand and placed it on Clementine’s side. Clementine slid her arm around Violet’s waist. They both shared a long glance until Violet shifted a bit. Clementine felt a finger tilt her head up slightly as Violet leaned in slowly, almost like she was giving her a chance to change her mind. Clementine met Violet halfway, bumping their mouths together maybe a little too hard. Neither seemed to mind, though. The kiss was deeper than the last. It felt... much easier, more familiar. Violets lips were much less chapped than before, Clementine could only hope the same for herself.

Violet pulled away, letting her eyes drift open. Clementine did the same. Violet just kissed her. It took a while for it register but that definitely just happened. Clementine blinked as the moon peeked out from behind the clouds, lighting up the courtyard. The light shone off Violet’s green eyes as they both shared a smile. “Holy shit.” Clementine breathed.

Violet huffed a laugh. “I know, right?”

  
  



End file.
